A narrowboats journey through repair, cruising, and other joys of the english waterways.

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Gas leaks and repairs

I have learnt many things whilst doing my boat and the lesson I keep learning over and over again is whatever was installed before simply isn't up to standard. I plugged in my new cooker and it has failed its gas test. How the previous cooker passed with the previous owner is beyond me! The current system has too many joints not all of which are classed as accessible, and generally would be stamped with a fail mark. As a result, I need to rip the whole lot out and start again. Why didn't I just do this in the first place? I probably thought I would give the system inplace the benefit of the doubt. Why I did that I don't know - it isn't as though the electrics were ok - and I have certainly improved the water system. Why did I think that the gas system would be ok - just because gas is dangerous it doesn't mean it has been treated with respect in the past!!!!!

I am going to run a single length of pipe with no joins from the gas locker to the cooker, through 2 bulkheads. I am going to get rid of the aged automatic changeover unit which should have already been thrown away or reconditioned, and replace it with a single system.

The question is, do I do this myself, do I do part of it myself, and get someone to do the final bit, or do I pay someone else to do the whole lot (sharp intake of breath). After the initial shock, I think I am swaying towards getting someone else to do the installation.

Whoever thinks people who live on boats are weathy needs a check up from the kneck up! We all say we aren't, yet all work seems to cost the wet and soggy end of an arm and a leg.